Philippiques Passage 15

quapropter , ut invitus saepe dissensi a Q. Fufio , ita sum eius sententiae libenter adsensus: ex quo iudicare debetis me non cum homine solere, sed cum causa dissidere. itaque non adsentior solum sed etiam gratias ago Fufio: dixit enim severam, gravem , re publica dignam sententiam: iudicavit hostem Dolabellam; bona censuit publice possidenda. quo cum addi nihil potuisset - quid enim atrocius potuit, quid severius decernere ? - dixit tamen, si quis eorum qui post se rogati essent graviorem sententiam dixisset, in eam se iturum. quam severitatem quis potest non laudare?

Therefore, although I have often reluctantly disagreed with Quintus Fufius, I have gladly assented to his opinion. From this you ought to judge that I am accustomed to disagree not with the man but with the cause. Accordingly, I not only assent to Fufius but also thank him. He delivered a stern and weighty opinion worthy of the republic. He judged Dolabella a public enemy and proposed that his property be taken into public possession. Although nothing could have been added to this, for what more severe or sterner decree could he have proposed, he nevertheless said that if anyone called upon after him proposed a more severe judgment, he would support it. Who can fail to praise such severity?

C’est pourquoi, bien que j’aie souvent été en désaccord avec Quintus Fufius à contrecœur, j’ai volontiers approuvé son avis. Vous devez en conclure que je ne suis pas accoutumé à m’opposer à un homme, mais à une cause. Aussi non seulement j’approuve Fufius, mais encore je le remercie. Il a exprimé un avis sévère, grave et digne de la République. Il a déclaré Dolabella ennemi public et proposé que ses biens fussent saisis au nom de l’État. Comme rien ne pouvait être ajouté à cette proposition, car quelle décision pouvait être plus rigoureuse ou plus sévère ?, il a néanmoins déclaré que, si l’un de ceux qui seraient interrogés après lui proposait un avis plus grave, il s’y rallierait. Qui pourrait ne pas louer une telle sévérité ?